In the news what is fake and real - health is hard

In the news this week I read three articles that give us a realistic view of the battle we have with aging. We are making progress, yet I read another article reporting  our first decline in life expectancy since 1999.

We all know women live on average about two years according to an article from the Associated press. Both experience and many other resources have reported the gender gap in longevity. If you and your spouse make it 65, you can expect to live to 87 for guys and 89 for gals on average. If you make to 65 it is possible you are on a healthier track than those who die earlier. What the article points out is the need for the surviving spouse to need more money for end of life issues. Here we see the reality that in life there is always a struggle.

 The http://www.wsj.com/articles/women-face-20-higher-health-care-costs-in-retirement-survey-finds-1481086801?tesla=y

Gretchen Reynolds updates important information we need to have in way of strategy as we get older. To maintain independence and quality of life we need to do resistance training. With work and max lifts where it hard to complete 8 to 12 reps we can actually add muscle to our body well into our 80’s. Lighter resistance will slow down the rate of lose and will give us the ability to carry on like we are used too. Max workouts will add muscle. Even in wrinkles muscle looks better in our clothes than fat. Invest in resistant training, you will like it when you are moving in your 80’s.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/12/02/can-you-regain-muscle-mass-after-age-60/?mabReward=CTM3&recp=0&moduleDetail=recommendations-0&action=click&contentCollection=Pro%20Football&region=Footer&module=WhatsNext&version=WhatsNext&contentID=WhatsNext&src=recg&pgtype=article

Don't give up

The Times reports of a woman beating colon cancer with her own immunity cells. With melanoma this therapy has proven about 20% percent effective. It seems she is one of the few where this has worked against colon cancer. If it can be repeated there can be hope for people fighting this cancer. They are learning things to make it more successful. But like heart, diabetes, senility, cancer if a tough foe. In all health studies you are working to improve the odds. I think that is the difference between fake news to hook you and real news that puts you in the fight. What do you think?

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/07/health/cancer-immunotherapy.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fhealth&action=click&contentCollection=health&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront

Keep walking

Sometimes it takes a little work to have joy

I posted earlier on Facebook as we get older, we need to re-examine our home to prevent falls. An ounce of prevention here could mean volumes in regard to your health. 

Two articles from the Chicago Tribune may help.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/health/sc-fall-prevention-tips-health-1123-20161122-story.html

http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/health/sc-fall-prevention-health-1123-20161121-story.html

Politics rarely gives satisfaction. This is a specially true to diehards invested every day with hours of detailed study. “Vanity is vanity”

If negative emotions out of control are harmful to life? How can we move the dial a bit to the positive? Perpetual happiness or delirium may be unattainable, but having joy, experienced in our day I think is entirely possible. 

For my friends who are political junkies consider for a moment how the media plays with your emotions. I think it's similar to the local news drawing you to a dramatic soundbite that in December we may have a snowfall. Snowfalls brings challenges but they're not unusual. The same is true in political stories. Whatever you're sensitive to the media has you hooked. Somehow consider the phenomenon that you may be manipulated. Right or left it happens all of us. We have that in common.

Chuck Swindoll from Insight for living shares 7 ideas to improve the beneficial effects of joy.

http://www.crosswalkmail.com/ViewMessage.do?m=qdwmdvwdmw&r=ibmmhnvddvzm&s=cphjdqtljhjtmlngrzkvktqmprrmhctkddn&q=1480501513&a=view

Last week I was reading an article that shared a heart attack can happened when we work harder and carry along a negative emotion like anger. It seems work and anger are two stressors that don’t go together. 

Joy can occur in an outcome from a life trial or battle. We may not feel it when we are in the middle of it, but it will happen afterwards. Somehow God uses bad things for our ultimate benefit. 

Psychologists tell us the ultimate loss is our own lives. We experienced the fear of losing from the temporal things, pets, friends, family, spouse, to the ultimate personal loss of our own life. Can we say the bad things happen to good people?  Resoundingly yes. 

Okay I started this article with politics and then I moved on to the old ultimate bummer, death. As Fred Sanford would say, “I’m a coming Elizabeth!”

How can we develop joy? Psalms 103:2 “My soul, praise the Lord, and do not forget all His benefits.”

Skyler Joy

In Swindell's article I like the idea of keeping a journal and putting peoples photographs in the Journal that give you joy. Don't put everybody there because some people are sourpuss’s. 

Surround yourself with happy people. Include music that helps you worship God. Over the years I've had many people tell me how much the songs that they learn when they were kids encourage them.

If you never learned to appreciate hymns, take time to hear them played well or sang well. Give yourself time to get an ear for it.

Each night come up with something that gave you joy. If you can’t think of something, you can laugh at yourself for becoming a grumpy old man or woman. Picture your favorite grumpy person. Something there will make you smile.

Go for a walk when is known to boost moods and take a deep breathe and enjoy it. Keep walking

 Today I spent time working out with resistant bands and body exercises. I was happy to do 50 sit ups today.  I got a nice strength workout and then I did a series of set ups and push-ups and squats two sets.
I enjoyed reading Hebrews 13:1-6. Hospitality, compassion reaching out prisoners, morel faithfulnesS don't love money, which is health will never be universal. Greed is apt our health care problems .keep walking

Giving thanks at the end of a day, happy thanksgiving

I am thankful for several things. I finished writing a book 1 in my devotion series, walking with Jesus. Now comes the next step of publishing it. When you are basically unknown I think it won't be easy. But first I had to write it. More than the book I am really thankful for Barb. I am thankful for my mental and physical health. I am grateful for people who encouraged me not to give up but keep on "bodger on" as the Brits would say. I think it is a good philosophy, since life isn'y always easy.
I am thankful to Wayne, Styles, Irwin Lutzer, Leslie Leyland, Gene Getz for online ministry and encouragement.
I am thankful for returning to my ministry in Liberia. To actually be doing something that I trained for so many years is really something.
I am thankful for family and friends in very profound ways. Thankful for a home that is a true shelter.
I am thankful for two real good years of Cub baseball and actually seeing with my own eyes and ears winning a world series. Not even the Chicago sports writers could discourage me.
I am thankful for audio books, mysteries, and the enjoyment of reading for the fun of it.

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. Especially times like this when I can sit back and take it in.
I am thankful for video phone chats with family, for texting watching baseball.
Tomorrow for many will be a great day. Some may be by themselves. The cool thing is we are never alone. To God day and night make no difference. He doesn't sleep. He is there and not silent.
I am keeping the movement up. Yesterday throughout the day I climbed stairs, one two flights at a time. Worked in tube resistance.  Today 1 did biking on my indoor recombant. The key now is to stay consistent with the activities. Keep walking

The fat man did two workouts today

The fat man did two workouts today
Desk workout involving stretches and body resistance exercise (About 5 minutes) You can split this up as well to give a movement break every half hour of 2 to 2 1/2 minutes.
Desk top workout at http://greatist.com/move/desk-exercises-best-moves-you-can-do-at-work
You can do quite a lot around your computer to move and work out.

The second workout I did was a boxing workout with each round going through a series of punches and steps. I did four rounds. My rounds right now are about a minute and a half of shadow boxing. Each round had either push ups (adopted off my piano) or abdominal bicycles on the bead. Easier for me to get off the bed than floor. Before the simulated rounds I did a three minute jog and ended the workout after stretches with a 5 minute walk-run. Each round had a minute rest and I also rested between the boxing moves and body exercises. In time I will be able to put them together.
Rule # 1 always keep breathing under control. Workout was about 20 minutes maybe a little longer with rest times.

My body was in rebellion. If you don't have CP you don't know how much your body fights you when you move. As you age you get an idea. I can't get ahead of my self. Working through this I have to slow done when I need to. Tomorrow I will feel better because of this work out but the rounds and walk-runs will take a while to develop. This stuff is great for me to work on balance.
When I learn to the routine and improve I can change with other similar workouts. My blood pressure has returned to normal and I feel OK.

I find I have to workout at my pace and adaptions. When you do a indoor walk with a video maybe your pace is a little less intense or smaller movements. You will hear if you are following Leslie Sansone, that is OK. It is good to get walks that fit where you are at in your fitness. You have your doctor's OK to start a walking program ease into it and start with a pace 30 minute mile that is OK for you. You should always be able to talk without being out of breathe. Your walk may be 30 one minute walks to start with. You and your doctor know your body. I just hope to encourage you not to give up and everything can be adjusted and adapted.  Quote that on tweeter Keep walking 

Entering the shadows

Making a little progress. Working with 30 minute workouts to do at least three times a week. In fitness programs it is suggested to include activity that is fun like tennis, walking in golf, basketball, or a sport you like to play. Activity may be around the home like gardening, shores, housework. Hobbies like bird watching, fishing, hunting, photography can be done with movement involved.
So what can I do to challenge my self in strength, aerobics, balance and flexibility? I think it is time to enter the world full of shadows.
"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows..."
Thanks Orson
No, I haven't gone post dramatic  election. No, I am actually talking about shadow boxing for fitness.

OK it might help with the elections work off a little steam on both sides.
There are plenty of workouts on line and they can be adapted for senior fitness. Adapting the workouts to fit being 64 and not 20. A 3 minute round may stop at a minute or 2 depending on what I need to do. Included in the round may be push-ups, crunches, squats, lunges, resistant with bands, weights, TRX. There can be a ton of variety. The actually boxing workout can include movements that help balance, flexibility and strength. Impact can be light or not at all to help joint health. The boxing part may give interest to work through the winter season. The routines can be done with my risk of falling.
If you are younger the workouts can include impact of a bag. Learning and practicing the punches will give power and speed. Real fighting will flatten the nose and ears. But as a workout there is a lot of real benefits. It also may be a good release of elation stress.
Any fitness program can be adapted to your fitness level and age. Follow doctor's advise and hour own body and you can't go wrong. Keep walking

Using walking sticks

The fat man is still walking. Went for a walk today at West Park walking from Disc golf cage to the next over unloved ground, small inclines putting to used walking poles I had. They worked perfectly giving me a sense of balance. The poles helped me keep my head up and good posture making the walk more normal. Having cerebral palsy it is hard for me to put into words the sense of balance is to walking. The days of walking and falling are over, at least without me taking more care. The poles are better than a cane. 
Keep walking

Confessions from a dysfunctional Cub Fan

Kyle Schwarber return is huge

The last couple weeks have been a wonderful vacation. I have been closely following the Chicago Cubs this year. From last year and this year it's been fun to see real good baseball. All year the Cubs have been favorite to win the World Series but being the favorite doesn't mean that you're going to win. The playoffs were a whole different season. At each level the Cubs had to come back to win the series. 

The mental stress was interesting because at each point you can think that we have been here and lost. You can remember points where the Cubs failed. (Confessions of a dysfunctional cub fan) This year's team took us to a new experience the World Series. Losing the first game and then coming back to win the second, emotions of the fans were extreme. Then we went down two games. You can cut the tension with a knife.

In game five the young team rebounded with an impressive win. Do you remember in Mary

Julie Andrews 1964

Poppins when there was a wind change and Miss Poppins came in to change the direction of a family in trouble. Between game five and six there was a weather change from the cold weather to baseball weather in late October early November. The bats game alive again and we won games six and seven. The last game another weather change gave us a chance to reboot to win the final game.

It took all of that to win hey World Series. 

As a Cubs fan we are now in a new experience. No more being reminded way too much that it has been 108 years since we last won a World Series. My father serving in the Navy in WWII was listening to the Cubs the last time they were in World Series. I wasn't even born until seven years later. 

I am glad I took time to enjoy the good baseball in the whole process of the Cubs success this year. Seeing great defense, good pitching, young power hitters an overall dynamic play was fun. Listening to Madden talk about baseball was a lot of fun to. 

The whole story line brought baseball back to the national pastime. We have to find away for baseball to play its best games in early October. The fans will be more excited and the players will play better. 

It has been zero years since the Cubs were in the World Series. Do you have a favorite team? Enjoyed the play regardless of the outcome. There is a life metaphor in there somewhere. Each day we're alive can be part of a good season. Take time every day to enjoy the ups and downs and being alive. Keep walking

We don't often look at balance In the news

It has been a while since I've shared a health in the news report. I have looked at five papers, three from the East, one from the Midwest, and the other one from California. Many times it could be the same article in other papers. I was looking at different articles in the papers. Here are a few articles that struck my interest.

I was California dreaming Reading in LA Times article How to bounce back from a fitness failure Bouncing back is a skill, and you can learn it. David Leon Moore. David is 60 is bouncing back from surgery restarting his fitness program. 

1. Use reminders
2. Start slow
3. Remember the 10% rule. This is important. Don't increase your training by more than 10% from week to week.
4. Stretch 
5. Go for it.
6. Remember why you need to bounce back
7. Get a mantra - David’s
1. If It Were Easy, Anyone Could Do It.
2. Of course, it's not easy. Sometimes we fall.
3. But we can always bounce back.

We all have to reboot our efforts for health. I have rebooted so many times I could call my blog the fat man reboots. I like that

http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-how-to-bounce-back-20160906-snap-story.html

5 Exercises for Better Balance

By Chris Freytag Some of the exercises may be challenging. The article gives several good reasons for us to work on our balance. I have lived my whole life with unsure balance. As we age many others have more difficulty. In my mind I  put balance in rehab or physical therapy and flexibility. If we work at it we can prevent falls. This is big for me.

Read the article and I would suggest putting in balance exercise for seniors. We can rehab back to walking, gain strength and flexibility as we age. We can also improve our balance. We have a lot to do when we retire. The payoff is we can do things for a long time.
Use a chair or wall for support.

https://www.verywell.com/exercises-for-better-balance-3498203
https://nihseniorhealth.gov/exerciseandphysicalactivityexercisestotry/balanceexercises/01.html

Crawling the new plank. Think of crawling as a full body workout. It gives you movements that may help you get off the floor as you get older. My knees are not up to it but I may try it on an exercise mat and my couch for support to get up and down.
We can lose these abilities and may have to begin with our doctor's perspective.

http://digitaledition.chicagotribune.com/launch.aspx?pbid=3e7227b1-e3b7-4fac-aa07-5f943e58b4c5

As we get older there is many things we can relearn as we work at our health. Be in touch with your doctor and yourself to know what helps you. Keep walking

Getting closer to publishing book.

Well, it is soon to happen. The old man here is going to publish a book.
The book is based on a study that I have done concerning walking with Jesus through the Gospels. The vantage point of the view is at we are walking with Jesus. As he walks from event to event we are there as eyewitnesses. The idea being as you read along, we place ourselves on location with Jesus. I will be focusing on a few things and sharing insights in the study.
Whoever reads along with me I encourage a daily walk. I will share tips regarding health, walking fitness and hopefully worthwhile information & insight into the life of Christ.
I am working on editing but we're getting closer.
With publishing I am a real nobody. Nevertheless I am excited about doing this.
Here's a footnote that I written I think will give us insight into how God put the readers point of view into the story so we can learn from. I really do like Peter, he is so much like me in saying what is on his mind and having to be corrected, rebuked and at times being right on the button. He says and does what everybody is thinking. He is full of life. Here is my note. The context is Mary searching for Jesus when he was twelve in Jerusalem when he was listening and asking questions to the brightest minds in Jerusalem at that time in Luke 2.

In the book foot notes are optional to read. If I put them into the text it may distract from the flow of the writing. Sometimes I think you would like to run down the rabbit hole with me as we do a little digging.
Reeves-when we are studying the life of Christ and we come across something that we don't understand, it may be a paradigm shift, that really makes us think; we should take pause and respond like Mary did and treasure it in our heart. Somethings we will take all of our life to work out, we may have to go home and pray about it, Study it, work it through. Mary's example was what Luke wanted his readers do. Mary is the Watson in the Holmes story. She is the Peter later in the gospels. When Peter interrupts, questions, gives the wrong answer that is the reader responding to what's going on. We act like we know it all, When in fact we may be in the dark. As a reader, student, disciple and even teacher never lose the fact that you're reader in responding to this information in the Bible. Always ask your questions and be aware like Jesus here God responds calmly and patiently to your fears and anxieties.
I hope you let me know what you think. Keep walking.

Walking the walls in Jerusalem

 Today they made this a park. When I was there is was a dig and some of the things you see were not uncovered yet. We walked along the wall and that gives you a different perspective.

Wayne Styles  shares a little bit about the view.

https://www.waynestiles.com/echoes-of-rosh-hashanah-at-the-place-of-trumpeting/#respond

I know the walk was against the rules but I was glad we could do it. 

Ah to be young and daring. 

Barb walking the wall and I was asking her to pose for a shot.She did not like being high on the wall. Keep walking

Before I forget, a thought on forgiveness

“As far as the East is from the West, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Psalms 103:12

The problem with the past, good or bad, is we stay in the past and do not take hold of today. We are not looking to the future and the promises of God. When God forgave us in Christ’s redeeming death, He did so unconditionally. Our past, present and future sins were forgiven at that time. 

In time, we walk with the Lord and deal with those present and future sins as they come up. 1 John 1:9; Ps. 51 share with us those principles that keep us in fellowship with God. He forgave us when Christ took on the cross our sins, but He does work with us in the process of sanctification and growing in Christ. 

In Isaiah 43: 18, 19 Gene Getz shares a principle to live by to forget the past. Paul did this in Philippians 3: 13, 14 “forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead”. When we became a Christian “we became a new creation,” 2 Corinthians 5:17. 

This idea of living in the moment is what Jesus had in mind when he talked about worry. Worry and anxiety about our past has dynamics that make it hard to forget. 

Jesus teaches about anxiety in Matthew 6:25-34. The principle here is helpful for the worries and anxieties of life. Anxiety attacks, in connection with depression, become a medical issue. The truths contain are solid for any therapy and treatment that may be required. Notice what Jesus says in verse 34, “Therefore don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Here we are warned not to negatively think about the future. Like dwelling in the past, focusing on the worst possible outcomes for the future can keep us from doing what we may need to do right now. What we think and do right now we have some control of. 

In sports as a coach I always wanted my players to be in the moment. The best players can make a mistake and quickly put it out of their minds to be ready for the next play. It takes experience for player to get this ability. When a player stays in the moment their best performance will be seen. 

It is often a good habit after the game to review what can be learned. A good coach may bring into practice drills what will improve a weakness. God does the same thing with us. We may, at the end of the day, review our actions and thoughts to learn from our experiences. He will give us plenty of practice to overcome what we need to overcome. But in the sports world it does no good to dwell on defeats. To dwell on defeats can eat up a player.  

The same is true of us as we dwell on our past sins. We actually have to make the focus on the good things to do and think about. That refocus reduces the energy of the negative behaviors or thoughts. We will experience a whole new freedom by letting go of the past, focusing on now, looking forward to the promises God gives us about the future. The apostle Paul shares the reasoning behind our forgiveness in Colossians 1:13, 14. Keep walking                                     

Politics hides personal health

Health is in the news.

The top four candidates President were Ted Cruz 45, Bernie Sanders 75, Donald Trump 70, and Hillary Clinton 69. Trump and Clinton will beginning the age bracket as Ronald Reagan.

Through what many went think was a disappointing process to get us to this point, we have two candidates who are old. Part of it I think is our fault for only recognizing people that we have seen in media forever. Definitely I think the media is responsible for not making it easier for people who are qualified yet not as known. It seems like we have settled for the lowest common denominator in reality TV. We could say the fix was in. 

I was watching a PBS show on Churchill's second term in the 50s in which he went through a major stroke and recovered. At  that time people did not know about it. This is seems is that instinct in politics to never let on that there is health problems. I think it was in the program where Churchill said growing “old is not for cowards”. There is an heroic element older politicians struggle to do their job in declining health. They do make contributions. I also think it is remarkable that government can continue when a president or leader is hospitalized or recovering. 

If you get a chance look at the actual letters from doctors who have done the physicals you will notice age in the reports of both Donald and Hillary. Compare your own health numbers to the candidates and you may find similarities. Hillary has blood thinners, Trump statin drugs. Both could probably lose little weight. 

How does an aging president take care of their health? Does having an older president come with certain risks? I think we are of the mind set that life should be problem free? 

One of these two will be the next president of United States. The health problems that come to people in their 70s will be part of their story. Given the record of how we normally will hear optimistic reports. If it is bad we are likely not hear anything. Or if it's like reality TV maybe we'll we will get privy into the bathroom. God save the president.

Death and struggle does come to the Whitehouse

Reagan was shot and rec

We can learn from our past
FDR

overed at age 70 in assassination attempt. It can be argued that he battled with the effects from the assassination throughout his presidency. He was able to serve effectively into his second term. It appears he was able to manage the last two years with the onset of Alzheimer’s.

Pres. Eisenhower at the end of his office had a heart attack at 67. 

John Kennedy died at 46 by lethal gunshot.

Franklin Roosevelt died the age of 63 of cerebral hemorrhage. He and had long term battle with this health after he had polio. He was able to hide is paralysis with the cooperation of the press. 

Warren Hardy was 57 when he died of a heart attack. 

William McKinley died at the assassin's bullet at the age of 58.

James Garfield was 49 years old when he died from an assassin.  I found it very interesting to learn about his assassination and how poisonous the thinking can be in politics.

Abraham Lincoln was 56 when he was killed by and assassin.

Zachary Taylor died of "bilious diarrhea, or a bilious cholera” at age 65. Whatever it was sounds awful. Did his age contribute to his death?

William Harrison died of pneumonia he caught up from a cold from too long of a speech at his inauguration he was 68. There is something to learn about that. We tend to immortalize short speeches. 

Take a look yourself.

http://digitaledition.chicagotribune.com/launch.aspx?pbid=3e7227b1-e3b7-4fac-aa07-5f943e58b4c5

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/16/us/politics/hillary-clinton-campaign.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fus&action=click&contentCollection=us&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=9&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0

http://www.wsj.com/articles/donald-trump-in-good-health-but-overweight-doctors-letter-shows-1473951876

http://www.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/DJT_Medical_Records_09152016.pdf

http://www.wsj.com/articles/campaign-releases-more-information-about-hillary-clintons-health-1473886020

http://www.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/HRC_physician_letter09142016.pdf

Perspective on loss of rights while seeking treatment with Mental Illness

It has been over five years since I went to an outpatient treatment for depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. I have long since recovered from depression and panic attacks. I took advantage of the therapy to explore post-traumatic stress and related emotional management issues. It was time well spent.

I can only tell you in my experience after healing is all about embracing life again. It is not about repeating the cycle of the darkness of depression. Care and intervention brought me to renew a life of service I was once called to.

Making the choice to let depression not define the rest of my life was not without cost. Volunteering treatment, I still lost certain rights. In my opinion those rights should not have been lost, unless there has been criminal activity.  There is  a withdrawal that happens when mental illness is made known. I knew this would be a possibility if I was open about my care and progress. In every area of my life I have experienced people moving back.  

If I had an illness of the heart, or some other organ I would not lose rights or even the privilege of relationships, but if I engage in mental care I do. If my behavior or illness is harmful to others is one thing; but if I seek a care plan to actually deal with the problems going on in my brain I shouldn’t be penalized. 

Before you think I am paranoid or I am incapable as part of mental disorder, check my writings the last several years, I don’t think my observation is based on faulty wiring. Consider that we tend to view mental illness more negative than other illnesses. In the fat man blog I hold the idea that cardiovascular, cancer, and diabetes are really the things we should be afraid of. As I get older what grabs my attention are all the ways we can get dementia. As my father would say, “That’s some scary shit!”

As we look at the news, the first thing we think of when someone committing horrendous crime must be that they are mentally ill or unstable. It isn’t that a person has taken up a cause or course of action that is a choice of wrong, evil. No, it has to be an illness of the brain. 

Across our country there are young men between the ages of 19-23 who are killing mostly people like themselves. There are many instances where others are innocent who are killed or injured as well. Mental illness is not the edge to this violence, but turf, drugs, sex, money and identity are.

We do see more than enough people who harm themselves or others and there is an illness that is part of it. I worked

Jack looks young - One Flew Over
the Cookoo's Nest

seven years in mental hospitals where there were hundreds of meltdowns where some type of conflict or restraint was needed. I got punched in the nose by an 85 year old farmer and had difficulty once with a 90 lb. women. Both times I was taken by surprise. Every other situation I was able to safely secure both the patient and staff. If those 200+ incidents were with criminals I do believe injuries would have been common. In mental illness the acting out is more in the moment and not a planned action. If a criminal was in a hospital the response would be decisive, but with the hundreds I encountered in the hospital the illness itself would confuse their response. The violence is different. 

When I look at violence today, I don’t assume it is because of mental illness. In enough situations it may well be a factor. A greater fear for me is any ideology that is considered more important than the relationships of people and a genuine love for God. Theocracies, politics, philosophies are far more dangerous than mental illness. 

Mental illness, I believe is more common to all of us, because there is a lot that can go wrong in the brain that we probably haven’t even discovered yet.

Rights, responsibilities, relationships and respect should be all part of when somebody decides to see medical remedies for anything happening concerning our little grey cells. If we choose to harm self or others then we should expect consequences. But give a guy or gal a break if they are trying to put something in remission. Keep walking

Ps. a link for good faith and mental health articles 

http://www.meierclinics.com/ADHD_Myths_and_Treatment

Getting older fight back

Mark twain said, "Age is a matter of mind over matter, If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.”

In the Wall Street Journal today SUMATHI REDDY reported on a study the aging process as it effects the eyes, ears, brain, bones and strength.

In all of these areas we can develop strategies to slow loss of function to maintain the ability to bugger on.We need to begin fighting back on aging from our 30s on. With hearing we may have to do it sooner.

For myself having cerebral palsy my balances always been a struggle. As we get older many of you will begin to have problems with your balance. Balance can be improved by paying attention to our strength.

Source Wall Street Journal

Our ability to learn new things peaks in our 20’s. By our 40’s it is harder to learn new things. I have found personally in the workforce that we are often thrust into new jobs or opportunities that require us to learn new things. It won't work to just say, “I’m an ole dog and I can't learn new tricks.” What we lose in our memory task we can adjust by our acquired ability to stay at until we learn. As we get older were pretty good at that. 

If we are passive and ignore the normal decline when we get older it will become harder to deal with things. If that is the case, I think it's a good idea to not give up. We still can improve the quality of our life and it is still possible to add some time to our life. I have reported several times that if we begin with a health team from our 30s on and practice what is good lifestyle habits we can gain as much is seven years to our life. For Scientific and medical support for that you can check out Dr. Kenneth Cooper’s Cooper aerobics, Real share with Dr, Oz, the American Heart Association to cite a few.

If we make lifestyle changes in our 50s we can average about two years to our lifespan. We all know that medical intervention has improve our life span from the 30s to the 70s in the last hundred years. 

Ignoring and possibly fearing the unknown in aging won't do at all. Facing up to our health with a good GP and medical support can make all the difference in the world. From time to time I was treated for physical therapy. For me it works much better then all the painkillers. Recognizing that I had a problem with depression help me find professionals and put the depression in recession. There're other things that I have down to prevent cancer and heart disease. Anecdotal evidence isn't always the best, but my brother ignored the warnings of smoking and heart disease and he passed away way to young. 

Source: WSJ

Reddy reported strength training can help balance. Today I did my strength training with my fat man exercises and my resistance bands. If our core and lower body has strength we will have better balance. I am counting on that helping me with aging and CP. Thank God most of you just have aging deal with. Please observe older people. In order for you to move around independently you are going to need spend time with strength training. I love the training that people can do sitting when they are aged. If you want mobility, than you will need to keep moving. 

Invest in resistance bands or tubes, dumbbells. Learn to do body strength exercises. Added strength training program in your retirement. It will be good for your heart and help you keep your independence. Keep walking

Check out the articles

http://www.wsj.com/articles/dont-wait-until-youre-older-to-fight-getting-old-1472488840?tesla=y

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27356977

The internet can be good

One of the newspaper postings I get links stories from the Washington Post on health. One helpful article is titled, "It Is Family Not Friends Who May Help You Live Longer." Within the article linked were two studies supporting how longevity is improved with family and also friends. 

When we retire being alone can be one of our biggest enemies. We can benefit from reduced stress from work, but I suspect there is a people element in our work that is good for us. Studies in health are often a numbers game. Exercise, Family, Friends, or lack of has an impact on our longevity.

Two of the studies followed people 6 years after retirement. The other study look at social connection throughout life.

Often social media and the Internet is criticized for people posting off-the-wall kind of stuff and bad information. In my own way, I like to push back a little bit and look for many of the good benefits of social media and internet research. In the fatman blog I focus on things that concern an old man about life and health. 

In my Liberian posts I am pursuing my passions to help Liberians fulfilling a lifetime ambition to serve the Lord anyway I can and show His love and care. I trained to be a missionary in psychology and pastoral care. As a missionary, education and medicine play a part.

As we age it is good to know what helps us and what doesn’t. 

If we are connected to the family only 6% of us will die in our first six years. If we do not have a good family connection then it is 14% more likely that we will die in the first six years. 

Being a cub fan I have seen the Cubs under bad management. There were so many mistakes every game and that added up to more losses then wins. This year we have good players but I've also seen the difference in having a good manager. 

In health I have seen an analogy that we are players. The coaches and manager could be our health team. If we look at good reports and information, we have a better ability to make good decisions on the field of life. No doctor or manager can replace our involvement in our health plan. 

Having a strong family

One of my health advisers

supporting us can improve our chance to survive six years after retirement by 8%. There is no guarantee, but if we know the numbers, that may help us pay attention to the importance of family when we get older. 

We are better off being connected socially with others in church or other interest groups. Loneliness can be like sedimentary living, bad eating habits, and smoking. If we make the right choices concerning these things we improve our chances. 

I think you will find the following articles from the Washington Post interesting. This connection was made possible by the Internet. Think of the Internet is a tool. If we learn to use it can be a great benefit. As always keep walking
Reviewed by Barb Reeves RN.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/08/22/its-family-not-friends-who-may-help-you-live-longer-study-says/?wpisrc=nl_lean&wpmm=1

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/01/05/your-relationships-are-just-as-important-to-your-health-as-exercising-and-eating-well/?tid=a_inl

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/02/16/joining-a-book-club-church-or-sports-group-linked-to-longer-life-after-retirement/?tid=a_inl

The danger in drifting and neglecting spiritual disciplines

True story baby rescued

 Can you imagine sunbathing and looking up and seeing your baby 1km away drifting out in the ocean. This true story ends well but the parents neglect could have been very costly.
After studying Hebrews 2:1-4 I made the following note. Neglecting our  spiritual life can cause us to drift away from the Lord, Reeves - neglecting here gives a warning but the warnings in Hebrews will explore even more dangerous problems. Drifting is so easy to do. When we neglect spiritual disciplines such as reading the Bible, praying, going to church, witnessing, Bible study, devotions, seeking daily cleansing and forgiving, encouraging others, loving others as Christ loved we open the door for drifting. Some of these disciplines are more important than others, I list them because by neglect in these basic practices we can lose ourselves. We find ourselfes without purpose and discouraged with the trials and struggles of life. 

In Africa the most dangerous creature is the tiny mosquito that carries malaria. It kills thousands of people every year. Snakes, large predators such as lions, hippos and elephants each only kill over 100 every year. The mosquitoes so small he would hardly notice. Yet many more suffer by this tiny creature. 

Drifting seems so small in comparison to other actions that Hebrews warns about, but more Christians suffer spiritually from drifting and neglect then any other problems.

Picture ourselves in a boat and we fail to anchor or tie the boat up. Without a motor or paddle the boat will move with the current. Sometimes we are playing in the waves and are not aware that we are in a rip tide that can carry us quickly out to sea. People unaware of what they were facing have died trying to swim back in. Many of these people are strong swimmers. You can't swim straight into shore. Knowing you are in a rip tide and swimming parallel to the shore you can quickly be out of the rip tide and able to swim in. My knowing this saved my life or at least saved a lifeguard coming in the water and get me. I singled to him to let him know I was going to swim parallel, which I did about 50 feet then I easily was able to swim into the shore. The riptide was really strong and carried me a good hundred yards before I knew what was happening. They are capable of taking you out several miles. For a minute I was just playing in the water not knowing that I was in danger. 

Drifting tumbleweed wasted life

That is how neglect and drifting work the Christian life, we are in lala land and all of a sudden we're hit with danger.

From neglect we find ourselves at a lost in trials and temptation. When an unexpected danger comes we are unprepared.

Let me illustrate personal safety, if we neglect being alert for those who might hurt us, or not being aware of our surroundings we will not notice the predator lying in wait. A shopper goes out to the car arms filled with bags, not looking around will not see the thief hiding near by. Neglecting watching may cost a life. Always use your eyes and walk back to the store if you think you are in danger.

OK staged, but he would be in trouble

When it comes to our spiritual life we can neglect so many things. I know church is filled with imperfect people, but we need them for encouragement. We have so many bibles today to enjoy, we need to read them. Prayer is simple to do, talking to God will get you talking to His so much God won't be able to shut you up. You have troubles and cares take them to the Great Physician for understanding and care. These are also practicing your spiritual muscles to fight sin and evil. We are to overcome evil with good. People today need love and encouragement from you. That is God's #1 way to love people today. 
I'm an old man and I am trusting God to yet work through me. e can neglect these thing and drift away. Keep walking

Being in tune with God helps us face our darkest and difficult times.